The former US president earlier called Trump's handling of the pandemic a catastrophe
Students watch former US president Barack Obama deliver a virtual commencement address to millions of high school seniors, in San Diego, California, May 16 2020. Picture: REUTERS/BING GUANFormer US President Barack Obama on Saturday criticised the response to the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the US, in what was viewed as a rare public rebuke of his successor, Donald Trump.
“A lot of them aren't even pretending to be in charge,” he said as he discussed the implications of the pandemic during the online event, without naming any specific leaders. “I hope that instead, you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others.”
The 2020 graduates face a grim reality: the US unemployment rate has shot up to nearly 15% and more than 36-million people have filed for unemployment benefits as America grapples with the fallout from months of lockdown and businesses closing.
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